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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27118684">Untitled Two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lylahmur/pseuds/lylahmur'>lylahmur</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:14:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,222</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27118684</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lylahmur/pseuds/lylahmur</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Untitled Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>He was driving down the old, dirt road that led to her house nestled back in the woods a couple hours north of Seattle.  The air was still warm, but they both knew fall was just around the corner.  The feel and hue of the sun made that apparent.  Maybe it was the way it hit the trees that were almost, just in the slightest amount noticeable starting to turn magnificent autumn colors.  She loved that time of year.  The nights were still warm up to that point, but each morning, Mother Nature reminded everyone that things were going to change soon, very soon. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The truck handled the road well, spitting gravel up behind it as he drove that left a trail of dust in their wake, and she didn't have a care in the world.  She loved the ride home.  So much so, that she leaned half her body out the window to let that late summertime air caress her face.  And he loved it too, watching the way she was always so carefree that he laughed deeply, heartily every time she did that and yet tugged at her belt loop to sit her back down.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Just because you get to enjoy the warmth year-round doesn't mean you have to suck the fun out of it for everyone else," she yelled to him, ignoring his attempts to tame her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Even though he knew she couldn't see him, he still shook his head and tugged one more time before giving up to put both hands back on the wheel.  "Vera, that's not what I'm doing.  One of these days, and Lord help me not this year, you're gonna get clocked by one of these low hanging branches.  I don't wanna be around when that happens."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You remind me of my dad.  Such a worrywart, JD," she retorted.  Plopping back into the tattered seat, she looked over at him, "you know, if you'd ever let me drive this piece of crap, you might actually enjoy the ride yourself."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Charlene is not a piece of cra-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I know, I know, she's an American classic," she interjected all the while rolling her eyes as she faced away, mouthing the speech she knew word for word every time someone talked poorly of his truck.  "And anyone lucky enough to own one says the same thing."  She finished the last sentence with him, resting the back of her arm on the open window.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You think I joke when I say that."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"For the millionth time, I know you're not joking.  But one day, this truck is going to fall apart on this road and I'm gonna say 'I told you so'," she replied.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You will not because that's never going to happen.  She's got good bones, I've seen to them myself."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She turned to look at him with a smirk, "and what about paint?  Looks don't matter?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>His deep chestnut gaze met hers, though his bushy eyebrows furrowed with dismay.  "You're lucky I don't toss you out on your ass.  It'd be a long walk from here."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I've walked farther," she said with a shrug of her shoulder.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She could sense his grin, his mood, through the dark mustache and greying beard and that had grown upon his face over the last three or so months.  Why he let his facial hair grow in the warmest parts of the year there was beyond her, but she didn't complain.  None of the women in town did either.  Whenever Vera and JD worked together, she had to constantly pry him away from his audience that miraculously appeared anywhere they went and remind him that there were more important things to be done.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Nothing else was said on the rest of the drive until he put his truck in park just in front of her house.  "I don't understand why you live all the way out here."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I like the quiet," she told him as she grabbed her bag from behind her seat.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't you ever get creeped out?  I mean, I worry about you sometimes."  He got out with her, lazily draping his forearms over the side of the truck, clasping his hands together.  The air was noticeably cooler under the tree cover, the yellow sun hindered by that and the dark green moss that laid beneath their feet.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Since when do you worry about me?  I've lived here almost ten years without any problems.  Well, except that bear one time."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>JD's jaw dropped open and his voice grew a few decibels louder, "a bear?  A fucking bear was here?  When the hell did this happen?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tossing the bag over her shoulder, Vera laughed lightly and met his oddly intense gaze.  "It was a while back, just forgot to put my garbage up properly."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Vera-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Calm down, it wasn't a big deal.  Haven't seen her since."  With that, she walked toward her home.  It was a decent size ranch, rested beneath a canopy of pine, maple and oak trees that let in enough light to make it ideal.  The moss only grew on the ground in the exceptionally shady spots, while the rest was a wildflower's paradise.  A wide grass path led to that, a clearing, big enough for one to enjoy.  Simple.  Beautiful.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>But he'd gotten past her in the meantime, halting her ascent up the four steps to her porch.  "Are you absolutely sure?" he inquired heatedly.  Once again, she met his fiery stare.  Why he'd gotten so concerned the last few days was beyond her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, I'm sure.  Can you move?  I need a sweatshirt," she said just as a new fall breeze gently blew over them.  It tampered with the small tendrils around her face that had fallen loose from her lazy ponytail, sending her chocolate locks into a frenzy just a moment later.  He let her pass and she unlocked the front door within seconds, setting her work bag on the table behind her sofa.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You don't talk to your aunt and uncle, I know, but your uncle asked me to make sure you were doing fine," JD said, following her inside.  He shut and locked the door, but didn't move from the rug just beyond there.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I really hope you're kidding."  Her back was to him and knowing exactly where his eyes were, she let her hair down.  It fell to the small of her back in unintentional waves, contrasting deeply with the simple white work shirt she wore with tattered, snug jeans.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Vera..." he said with a certain throatiness in his voice.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Tell them I'm fine.  I've been fine the last decade," she retorted, moving easily to the kitchen.  She flipped the light above the sink on before grabbing a beer from the fridge.  "Why am I just finding this out now?"  Looking hard and thoroughly at him, she awaited his response after a long swig while attempting to keep her escalated breathing under wraps.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, come on.  This isn't anything new."  He leaned himself against the threshold, facing her, crossing his strong arms over his chest.  She eyed him still, undoubtedly taking notice of the tight fitting shirt that still showed signs of the workday they'd had together.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"They lied to me, JD," she said with a simple shrug.  That encouraged her enough to take another long gulp.  "From what I've learned, your parents aren't supposed to do that."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Stop calling me that.  You make me sound like that dweeb from 'Scrubs'," he replied with a quick, irritated rub of his hand over his weathered face.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She nearly spit out her last sip in a fit of unexpected laughter.  "Still?!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Yes, still.  So stop it."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>She snickered uncontrollably, breaking their eye contact.  The low boom and seriousness of his voice did something different to her that evening, the protective nature that had just occurred did something else entirely.  But those were thoughts she had long let go since he was a friend of her uncle's.  She knew he'd hired him to keep tabs on her, but unfortunately, that hadn't prevented her from enjoying his company.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They got along effortlessly, kept one another in check even though one was of a much higher profile than the other.  Vera wondered why he kept coming back on his time off.  She enjoyed the wilderness that she secluded herself in, knowing it was far enough away from the city and even farther away from her parents.  Her life was good there.  No complications other than the occasional wildlife that showed up whenever it pleased or a leak in her roof.  All of that she could handle.  If not, she had JD a month, maybe two or three during the summer if she was lucky.</p>
  <p>"Fine.  Do you want something to drink or are you just gonna bolt like you always do?" she asked him as she leaned her hip against the kitchen counter.  "And don't tell me you have quite the drive, because I already know that.  I've got a perfectly acceptable couch.  Slept on it many times myself."</p>
  <p>His expression had softened, and that was what always got to her the most.  He'd started to grow his brown hair out that summer, let it go a bit wild for the past couple weeks.  It suited him.  His beard had gotten longer too.  He looked rugged, like he belonged for once.</p>
  <p>"I've got a lot of things I should-"</p>
  <p>She cut him off with a wave of her hand and turned to look into the impending darkness outside her kitchen window.  "Yeah, yeah.  Just go then."</p>
  <p>JD knew almost how much it pained Vera when he had to get back to his life in L.A.  Because it pained him too.  He enjoyed getting off the grid and away from the hustle and bustle of the city, even if it was only for a short time.  He memorized her silhouette and ran a tired hand over his face.</p>
  <p>"You wanna come see <em>me</em> at work sometime?" he genuinely asked, fighting the urge to take a step closer to her across the hardwood floor.</p>
  <p>"No.  I've got too much to do here," she replied unapologetically.  Her parents were in California.  She didn't need to risk any run-ins even though the population made that nearly impossible.</p>
  <p>The sun had finally begun to set and it cast an amber glow throughout her home.  While she wanted to feel the warmth of it, it still left her empty and craving more.  She had fewer clients to tend to through the fall and winter months but he didn't need to know that.  Deep, deep down, she hated that she liked him so much because it was her lying uncle's fault he was in her life, yet she couldn't help it.  He was a nice guy.  He'd always been nice to her.  Grew up in her hometown.  Though he was older than she was, it didn't matter.</p>
  <p>He cleared his throat, bringing her back to the present.  "You know, you should really get a dog," he told her.</p>
  <p>Smirking again, she turned with the beer against her chest, "I barely have time for you.  What makes you think I can cater to another living being twenty-four-seven when you're not around?"</p>
  <p>"You work with animals, why not?" he asked between chuckles.  "Plus, it'd make me feel better if that bear came around again."</p>
  <p>"Oh my God, it happened <em>once</em> and she hasn't been back in a week.  She's probably moved on to terrorizing the neighbors."</p>
  <p>"This happened last <em>week</em>?  Vera, for fuck's sake, why didn't you tell me?  And don't start with that 'this is how I know you'd react' bull shit."</p>
  <p>"Because this is how I know you would react!" she shouted anyway.  The bottom of her beer hit the granite and even though the foam poured over the mouth, she ignored it.  "Why do you even care?  And better yet, why are you still here?  I don't know why you come back here to help me.  Is my uncle paying you more?  Is that what it is?"  Why she had suddenly gotten so upset, she wasn't one hundred percent sure, but most likely because he was leaving.  She vaguely recalled the last few times he had gone away she sort of shut down and shut him out.  </p>
  <p>He lost it.  All of his patience and some of his sanity because she had struck a nerve.  "Dammit, woman.  No!"  His voice had gotten even louder and he knew his presence just as much as Vera did.  Standing at just over six feet tall, his dark hair and even darker eyes were something a smart person didn't mess around with.</p>
  <p>Her jaw clamped shut and she shrunk herself closer to the counter.  "Just leave, please.  Thank you for the ride and for your help the last few weeks, I'm sure you've been compensated."</p>
  <p>His nostrils flared and the breath leaving him was heated, red hot, but he held back, not wanting to say anything he didn't mean.  She was a frustrating woman and while he had agreed to keep an eye on Vera, that didn't change the fact that her uncle was indeed, a piece of work.  Her aunt had been innocent, but she stood by her husband and he couldn't blame Vera for cutting the both of them from her life.</p>
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